What is your religion?

[The Alexanderians]

Even before I was religious, I found them obnoxious.

The fact many atheists like myself wish they never formed, it means they are not popular, and the message they are sending is too aggressive.

Not to mention completely hypocritical since they just as bad as many forms of religious fundamentalism while decrying them at the drop of a hat, some of my greatest and closest friends are atheist and I've never gotten a vibe from them that I get from NA members.

[Czervenika]

The fact many atheists like myself wish they never formed, it means they are not popular, and the message they are sending is too aggressive.

Not to mention completely hypocritical since they just as bad as many forms of religious fundamentalism while decrying them at the drop of a hat, some of my greatest and closest friends are atheist and I've never gotten a vibe from them that I get from NA members.

Ironically, one of the people who had been most supportive of my conversion to Eastern Orthodoxy is an atheist. We need more atheists like that: tolerant and not complete dickheads every opportunity they get. The New Atheist movement is full of pretty awful people(but for the sake of balance so are many religions).

[Stormopolis]

Why isn't asatru in the list?

[Veceria]

Why isn't asatru in the list?

Pagan.

[Stormopolis]

Why isn't asatru in the list?

Pagan.

That's...actually kind of offensive.

[Neutraligon]

Pagan.

That's...actually kind of offensive.

Why is it offensive?

[Stormopolis]

That's...actually kind of offensive.

Why is it offensive?

It infers that it is less than a religion like Christianity or Judaism.

It is crucial to stress right from the start that until the 20th century people did not call themselves pagans to describe the religion they practised. The notion of paganism, as it is generally understood today, was created by the early Christian Church. It was a label that Christians applied to others, one of the antitheses that were central to the process of Christian self-definition. As such, throughout history it was generally used in a derogatory sense.
— Owen Davies, Paganism: A Very Short Introduction, 2011[6]

The term pagan is from Late Latin paganus, revived during the Renaissance. Itself deriving from classical Latin pagus which originally meant 'region delimited by markers', paganus had also come to mean 'of or relating to the countryside', 'country dweller', 'villager'; by extension, 'rustic', 'unlearned', 'yokel', 'bumpkin'; in Roman military jargon, 'non-combatant', 'civilian', 'unskilled soldier'. It is related to pangere ('to fasten', 'to fix or affix') and ultimately comes from Proto-Indo-European *pag- ('to fix' in the same sense).[7]

The adoption of paganus by the Latin Christians as an all-embracing, pejorative term for polytheists represents an unforeseen and singularly long-lasting victory, within a religious group, of a word of Latin slang originally devoid of religious meaning. The evolution occurred only in the Latin west, and in connection with the Latin church. Elsewhere, "Hellene" or "gentile" (ethnikos) remained the word for pagan; and paganos continued as a purely secular term, with overtones of the inferior and the commonplace.

[Neutraligon]

Why is it offensive?

It infers that it is less than a religion like Christianity or Judaism.

It is crucial to stress right from the start that until the 20th century people did not call themselves pagans to describe the religion they practised. The notion of paganism, as it is generally understood today, was created by the early Christian Church. It was a label that Christians applied to others, one of the antitheses that were central to the process of Christian self-definition. As such, throughout history it was generally used in a derogatory sense.
— Owen Davies, Paganism: A Very Short Introduction, 2011[6]

The term pagan is from Late Latin paganus, revived during the Renaissance. Itself deriving from classical Latin pagus which originally meant 'region delimited by markers', paganus had also come to mean 'of or relating to the countryside', 'country dweller', 'villager'; by extension, 'rustic', 'unlearned', 'yokel', 'bumpkin'; in Roman military jargon, 'non-combatant', 'civilian', 'unskilled soldier'. It is related to pangere ('to fasten', 'to fix or affix') and ultimately comes from Proto-Indo-European *pag- ('to fix' in the same sense).[7]

The adoption of paganus by the Latin Christians as an all-embracing, pejorative term for polytheists represents an unforeseen and singularly long-lasting victory, within a religious group, of a word of Latin slang originally devoid of religious meaning. The evolution occurred only in the Latin west, and in connection with the Latin church. Elsewhere, "Hellene" or "gentile" (ethnikos) remained the word for pagan; and paganos continued as a purely secular term, with overtones of the inferior and the commonplace.

Shrug I thought at this point that the word had been reclaimed by those who had religions that where not abrahamic or atheistic and had many gods. I wonder is Hinduism is considered pagan. Hmm must think on this.

[Stormopolis]

It infers that it is less than a religion like Christianity or Judaism.

Shrug I thought at this point that the word had been reclaimed by those who had religions that where not abrahamic or atheistic and had many gods. I wonder is Hinduism is considered pagan. Hmm must think on this.

It is, if you go with the original meaning. Anything but Judaism and Christianity (article includes islam, but that's not a religion, and also part of a discussion we aren't going to have here until I complete my essay on it.)

[Neutraligon]

Shrug I thought at this point that the word had been reclaimed by those who had religions that where not abrahamic or atheistic and had many gods. I wonder is Hinduism is considered pagan. Hmm must think on this.

It is, if you go with the original meaning. Anything but Judaism and Christianity (article includes islam, but that's not a religion, and also part of a discussion we aren't going to have here until I complete my essay on it.)

I look forward to that explanation when you can post it. As I said I am pretty sure that the word has been reclaimed, an that it tends to focus on small religions with multiple gods/nature spirits, rather than the larger ones like Hinduism

[Veceria]

Why is it offensive?

It infers that it is less than a religion like Christianity or Judaism.

It is crucial to stress right from the start that until the 20th century people did not call themselves pagans to describe the religion they practised. The notion of paganism, as it is generally understood today, was created by the early Christian Church. It was a label that Christians applied to others, one of the antitheses that were central to the process of Christian self-definition. As such, throughout history it was generally used in a derogatory sense.
— Owen Davies, Paganism: A Very Short Introduction, 2011[6]

The term pagan is from Late Latin paganus, revived during the Renaissance. Itself deriving from classical Latin pagus which originally meant 'region delimited by markers', paganus had also come to mean 'of or relating to the countryside', 'country dweller', 'villager'; by extension, 'rustic', 'unlearned', 'yokel', 'bumpkin'; in Roman military jargon, 'non-combatant', 'civilian', 'unskilled soldier'. It is related to pangere ('to fasten', 'to fix or affix') and ultimately comes from Proto-Indo-European *pag- ('to fix' in the same sense).[7]

The adoption of paganus by the Latin Christians as an all-embracing, pejorative term for polytheists represents an unforeseen and singularly long-lasting victory, within a religious group, of a word of Latin slang originally devoid of religious meaning. The evolution occurred only in the Latin west, and in connection with the Latin church. Elsewhere, "Hellene" or "gentile" (ethnikos) remained the word for pagan; and paganos continued as a purely secular term, with overtones of the inferior and the commonplace.

It only matters what you think about your religion, and how important it is to you. It's neither more nor less important than any other religion if you view it neutrally.

But you're right, if there's pagan in the poll, there should at least also be "Abrahamic" instead of Christianity etc.

[Freefall11111]

Why is it offensive?

It infers that it is less than a religion like Christianity or Judaism.

It is crucial to stress right from the start that until the 20th century people did not call themselves pagans to describe the religion they practised. The notion of paganism, as it is generally understood today, was created by the early Christian Church. It was a label that Christians applied to others, one of the antitheses that were central to the process of Christian self-definition. As such, throughout history it was generally used in a derogatory sense.
— Owen Davies, Paganism: A Very Short Introduction, 2011[6]

The term pagan is from Late Latin paganus, revived during the Renaissance. Itself deriving from classical Latin pagus which originally meant 'region delimited by markers', paganus had also come to mean 'of or relating to the countryside', 'country dweller', 'villager'; by extension, 'rustic', 'unlearned', 'yokel', 'bumpkin'; in Roman military jargon, 'non-combatant', 'civilian', 'unskilled soldier'. It is related to pangere ('to fasten', 'to fix or affix') and ultimately comes from Proto-Indo-European *pag- ('to fix' in the same sense).[7]

The adoption of paganus by the Latin Christians as an all-embracing, pejorative term for polytheists represents an unforeseen and singularly long-lasting victory, within a religious group, of a word of Latin slang originally devoid of religious meaning. The evolution occurred only in the Latin west, and in connection with the Latin church. Elsewhere, "Hellene" or "gentile" (ethnikos) remained the word for pagan; and paganos continued as a purely secular term, with overtones of the inferior and the commonplace.

Nobody uses the term like that anymore.

[Stormopolis]

Nobody uses the term like that anymore.

Ah. So you know what the 400 million L1 speakers of English use the word for, and what the 2 billion L2 speakers use the word for? Where were you when I had Advanced English Syntax?

[Freefall11111]

Nobody uses the term like that anymore.

Ah. So you know what the 400 million L1 speakers of English use the word for, and what the 2 billion L2 speakers use the word for? Where were you when I had Advanced English Syntax?

Yea, I do. Go ask someone on the street what paganism means. You'll be hard pressed to find someone who responds "A religion that's worse than Judaism or Christianity". Seriously, go ahead. Film your attempts, please.

[Stormopolis]

Ah. So you know what the 400 million L1 speakers of English use the word for, and what the 2 billion L2 speakers use the word for? Where were you when I had Advanced English Syntax?

Yea, I do. Go ask someone on the street what paganism means. You'll be hard pressed to find someone who responds "A religion that's worse than Judaism or Christianity". Seriously, go ahead. Film your attempts, please.

That's no mean feat, claiming to speak for 2,4 billion speakers. You are so awesome. And so humble.

[El-Amin Caliphate]

Sunni Muslim.

Ramadan Mubarak I'm non-Denominational.

[El-Amin Caliphate]

Shrug I thought at this point that the word had been reclaimed by those who had religions that where not abrahamic or atheistic and had many gods. I wonder is Hinduism is considered pagan. Hmm must think on this.

It is, if you go with the original meaning. Anything but Judaism and Christianity (article includes islam, but that's not a religion, and also part of a discussion we aren't going to have here until I complete my essay on it.)

Al-Islam is a religion. Cause we believe in Allah (SWT), believe in a hereafter, base our lives around the Deen...pretty sure that's a religion.

[Stormopolis]

It is, if you go with the original meaning. Anything but Judaism and Christianity (article includes islam, but that's not a religion, and also part of a discussion we aren't going to have here until I complete my essay on it.)

Al-Islam is a religion. Cause we believe in Allah (SWT), believe in a hereafter, base our lives around the Deen...pretty sure that's a religion.

You disqualifiy yourselves in various areas. But more on that once I complete my essay.

[Kubumba Tribe]

Al-Islam is a religion. Cause we believe in Allah (SWT), believe in a hereafter, base our lives around the Deen...pretty sure that's a religion.

You disqualifiy yourselves in various areas. But more on that once I complete my essay.

What 'disqualifications' do we have?

[Big Jim P]

Pagan.

That's...actually kind of offensive.

Us Satanists get lumped in with pagans all the time.

[Stormopolis]

You disqualifiy yourselves in various areas. But more on that once I complete my essay.

What 'disqualifications' do we have?

Tons. I told you, you'll read it when it's done. Which it isn't.

[El-Amin Caliphate]

What 'disqualifications' do we have?

Tons. I told you, you'll read it when it's done. Which it isn't.

Will it be in your factbook?

[Stormopolis]

It might be. Good idea.

[Godular]

Ah. So you know what the 400 million L1 speakers of English use the word for, and what the 2 billion L2 speakers use the word for? Where were you when I had Advanced English Syntax?

Yea, I do. Go ask someone on the street what paganism means. You'll be hard pressed to find someone who responds "A religion that's worse than Judaism or Christianity". Seriously, go ahead. Film your attempts, please.

I think most of 'em will say "uhhhh..."

[The Grene Knyght]

Why isn't asatru in the list?

Don't you think it's a but hypocritical to be upset about this while claiming Islam shouldn't be on the list?